Meryl Streep Releases Statement on Harvey Weinstein Scandal

The Queen of Hollywood has spoken out against Harvey Weinstein in a statement to the Huffington Post. She called the news that he had paid settlements to at least eight women who accused him of sexual harassment “appalling” and “disgusting.” She called the women who spoke out against him (including actress Ashley Judd, who gave an on-the-record statement to the New York Times) “heroes.”

“The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,” Streep told thePost. “Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”

Judd had said that Weinstein’s behavior was common knowledge among women and they “have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time, and it’s simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly.”

Streep says that the allegation that everybody in Hollywood or close to Weinstein knew needed to be “clarified.” In one paragraph of her statement Streep says repeatedly that not “everybody knew” of Weinstein’s long history of sexual harassment and defends her own professional relationship with Weinstein.

“Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally,” Streep said. “I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts.”

The Times article outlined the many reasons why the allegations took so long to come out — most obviously because of the power Weinstein had over these women’s careers. Read Streep’s full statement below.

The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes. One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally. I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts. And if everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it. The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.